>>> on the broadcast tonight, five days to go before the country could plunge off the fiscal cliff. the president and the senate back early from vacation, but still no deal in sight. with your money at stake, why can't they reach an agreement in washington? >>> extreme weather. more heavy snow and crippling delays from that massive storm with another one on the way. tonight, how will it impact the holiday weekend? >>> got milk? why the price of a gallon could more than double in the next few days. what's behind this huge potential increase? >>> and the lives they led. our annual look back at some of those we lost this year. "nightly news" begins now. >>> from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. >> good evening, i'm natalie morales in for brian. just how bad is the situation in washington with only five days left before we reach the fiscal cliff? in a highly unusual move, lawmakers are being called back to work during this holiday week. but if today was any indication, it doesn't appear congressional leaders are ready to play nice,